If I Make It
by zElliexmagic
Summary: "That's not what happened, dang it! That's not what happened at all! She didn't die!" Yeah, that's right…Lucy didn't die, neither her nor her future-self did...Natsu closed his eyes, thinking back to what had really happened that night…NaLu


**I'm sorry it's been a while. I watch the English Dub version of Fairy Tail (I'm sorry I just can't stand the sub) and they had just posted ten new episodes I've been going to town with them…even though I already know what happens because of the manga. Ha ha…Anyway, my brother and I were talking about the new episodes and somehow we got on the topic of Future-Lucy's death. This idea somehow clicked and we thought this up.**

 **Disclaimer: I don't own Fairy Tail**

.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.

If I Make It…

 _To my beloved brother, yummycookieart (deviantart). Thanks for dealing with all my spoilers of the manga, my fangirlness, and giving me the inspiration for this story_

"…As long as that person is alive, it's bound to happen," Future-Rogue explained, hoping the point would get across. It was common sense really.

"I don't have a clue what you're talking about, Buddy," Natsu replied, scratching the back of his head. "Spill it. Who's this person you're after, anyway?"  
There was a brief pause, which for some reason caused an icky feeling Lucy's stomach to stir. Why did she feel like something awful was about to happen? Why did she feel like one of them was about to die?

"It's you," Future-Rogue's voice dripped with malice, hatred, and anger as he charged up a shadow-like dagger in his hands. "Lucy Heartfilia!"

Lucy stood there, frozen in sudden fear, and gasped at his accusation. She could see the dagger coming toward her, but she was unable to move a muscle. She sucked in a breath and held it as her eyes remained wide and unblinking. She couldn't move…she was so scared…Why was it her? She would never do anything to erase more than 90% of the human population by shutting the gate. Why was Rogue trying to kill her? Why?

"Lucy!" Natsu shouted, looking back at her, but she couldn't take her eyes off the flying shadow dagger. Time seemed to go in slow motion and the only thing she could hear is her own heartbeat, racing in fear.

She squeezed her eyes shut, not wanting to see her blood spurt from her body as she waited for the impact.

Except…there wasn't one…

When she opened her eyes, there Future-Lucy was, in front of her, with the dagger in her body…

.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.

Natsu shot awake, gasping, sweating, and shouting Lucy's name. He blinked a few times before realizing that it was a dream and where he was.

Thank goodness everyone got drunk enough to not wake up from his shouting. He was currently in the guild hall. Everyone partied last night and ended up passing out and Natsu found himself on the ground under the table. How he ended up under the table is something he didn't know and didn't really care at the moment either…

Natsu took in deep breaths and ran his fingers through his hair as he got up and left the building for some fresh air.

"Why do I keep having that dream?" He asked himself before he realized that there were tears in his eyes. He quickly wiped them away while muttering, "stupid, stupid! Why am I crying?!"

He leaned against the brick wall while hiding his face. "Why do I keep having that dream?" He asked again. "That's not what happened, dang it! That's not what happened at all! She didn't die!"

Yeah, that's right…Lucy didn't die, neither her nor her future-self did…

"That's not what happened…" Natsu heard his voice break a bit and he paused take another breath, "…so why do I keep having that dream?"

Natsu closed his eyes, thinking back to what had really happened that night…

.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.

"Lucy!" Natsu shouted, looking back at her, but she couldn't take her eyes off the flying shadow dagger. Time seemed to go in slow motion and the only thing she could hear is her own heartbeat, racing in fear.

Natsu lunged forward, reaching a hand out to keep the dagger from hitting her. He could smell her fear and it made him mad. He watched the dagger as it crept closer toward her and to him as well. He reached out farther in hoping of stopping it.

" _Come on! No, not Lucy! I gotta make it! I gotta make it! If I make it, I'll be able to save her, but if only I make it! If I'm fast enough…if I make it…_ "

Lucy squeezed her eyes shut, not wanting to see her blood spurt from her body as she waited for the impact.

Except…there wasn't one…

When she opened her eyes, she gasped in fright as Wendy, Loke, Happy, Carla, and even Future-Rogue stood there, frozen in shock. It was a total shocker, but at the same time, it was expected, but it still struck fear in Lucy. However, this time, it was for someone else's sake.

"Natsu!"

Natsu didn't even feel the pain until he looked down at this gut. That shadow dagger placed itself in the middle of his stomach, causing blood to ease out of him and drip to the floor. His brain felt light, and he remembers smiling before falling.

"NATSU!"

Future-Rogue couldn't believe what he just saw…Natsu jumped in front of Lucy and took the shot…

Lucy could move now and she sprinted toward him, catching his body as he fell. The warmth Natsu always carries with him had already begun to fade. It _scared_ her!

Right now, the only people in the room were he and she.

"N-Natsu…" Lucy's tears rolled down her face and she cradled his head in her arms as he coughed up blood. "Natsu? Can you hear me?"

"…Yeah…I can hear you, Luce," Natsu slowly opened his eyes only to quickly shut them again with immense pain. "Y-you…aren't hurt are you?"

"Speak for yourself!" She shouted, biting her lip to keep from sobbing. She couldn't lose him… "Why did you do it?! Why?!"

Natsu's smile revealed the blood in his mouth. "Well that's easy, Luce…it's because…I…I lo…"

And that was it; he was gone.

Lucy barely registered Happy sobbing against Natsu's forearm as she replayed what just happened in her mind.

Natsu just in front of her…and died.

"NOOO!" Lucy sobbed loudly, unable to hold back…not like she wanted to.

Future-Lucy remained frozen as tears leaked into her eyes. She just watched Natsu die right in front of her _again_ …

…

"Sky Dragon: Roar!"

As soon as Wendy attacked Future-Rogue, Loke grabbed Lucy's wrist, dragging her away. "Come on! We have to go!"

"No! I don't want to leave him!"

"We'll come back for him, I promise!" He said, grabbing Future-Lucy's wrist with his other hand and running. Wendy quickly ran after them, only attacking to stall him, which she succeeded.

Lucy turned her head, looking back at Natsu's body with tears she was sure she'd never stop shedding…

.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.

"Lucy!" Natsu shouted, looking back at her, but she didn't move. He jumped for the dagger, but didn't reach it and the only thing he could hear was his heartbeat racing in fear at the dagger hit it's mark.

Future-Lucy was in front of her past-self, with the dagger in her body. She crumbled to the floor as Natsu stood there shaking in fear, watching the whole thing happen right in front of him.

" _Please, someone tell me that didn't just happen…_ " He could feel the palm of his hands sticky with sweat and he was trembling from head to toe.

" _But we_ are _sad! We don't care what world you come from because no matter what anyone says you're still our Lucy! You're our friend and we love you! We don't ever want to lose you! So of course we're sad! How could we not be?!_ "

" _Hey…will you let me see your guild mark?_ "

" _Where's yours?...What happened?_ "

" _I wish I had…more adventures…_ "

" _Lucy! Get out of here! Now!_ "

" _I can't just leave her!_ "

" _Please…protect the future…_ "

" _I will! I promise!_ "

" _Her delusions are irrelevant! Every choice you think you have has been decided by fate!_ "

" _Then I'm gonna turn fate into a pile of ashes!_ "

…

" _You just took away something precious to me right before my very eyes…_ "

…

Natsu shot awake and found himself gasping for breath as he did so. He felt like he just surfaced from being under water for too long…but for _how_ long?

"Natsu!"

Immediately, he was tackled by an unknown figure. When he opened his eyes to see who, his vision was blurry. He had a hard time moving his limbs, but it came back to him quickly.

" _What in the world…just happened?…And that dream?…What did I just see?…_ "

"You're alive! I'm so happy!" The still-unknown figure tightened her arms around his neck, making it a little harder to catch his breath, but for some reason, he didn't mind.

With those five words, it all came rushing back…

He didn't need his vision – even though it was clear by now – to know who was on top of him.

"Lucy? Why are you crying?"

*sniff* "I can't believe you're alive…You gave me such a scare, you idiot…"

"Lucy…" He hugged her back tightly, but he was so confused right now…why does he hear roars of dragons in the background? "How…am I…"

Lucy sat up and wiped her tears away. They both ignored the fact that she was straddling his hips as Natsu sat up. "It's all thanks to Atlas Flame."

"Natsu!"

Happy launched himself into his chest, which Natsu saw that there was no dagger, but a scar now.

"Happy…" Hugging the sobbing cat to him, Natsu looked up and gasped at the giant dragon made of _fire_ next to him. Natsu couldn't help but lick his lips. " _Yum…fire…It looks good to eat…_ "

"My name is Atlas Flame. Lucy has told me who you are, Son of Igneel."

Natsu's eyes widened, "you know my dad?"

"Yes. He and I were very good friends. When I heard from Lucy that you were his son and that you had died from Rogue, I came to see for myself. It appears you weren't _completely_ dead. Therefore, I asked Lucy to pull the dagger out and I fed you fire. It appears to have worked."

"Wow! That's awesome!" Natsu flashed him a cheesy grin. "Thank you, Uncle! I appreciate it!"

"U-uncle?..."

Lucy was still trying to wipe her eyes, but it seemed like the more she wiped, the more she cried. It was only when Natsu reached up to caress her cheek and wipe her tears away with his thumb were when they disappeared.

"Hey now, Luce, stop crying!" He flashed her that grin that made her heart melt. She could feel herself falling all over again. "I'm not dead so there's no need to cry anymore!"

That only made her launch herself at him again. Even though they squished Happy in between them, he wasn't complaining and neither were they. Natsu stuck his nose in her soft hair, humming as her scent overwhelmed him. He didn't think he'd ever get to smell it again.

A roar of a dragon in the background brought him back…

"Lucy…" He pulled back, suddenly extremely serious, "Where's Future-Rogue? Where's your future-self?"

"Future-Lucy is running around somewhere. Wendy and Carla are with her," Lucy answered. "She said she dropped her diary somewhere and that it contained information on how to stop Future-Rogue. She said it'd help."

"And Rogue?"

"He's up there," She turned and pointed to the sky, making Natsu realize for the first time that they were outside. There was a white dragon flying around in the sky; whatever happened while he was out wasn't good. "That's Motherglare. Future-Rogue is on it."

"I guess the ten-thousand dragons are really here then huh?"

"No," Happy shook his head. "Only seven. Fairy Tail and all the other guilds are fighting them. They came through the Eclipse Gate, but Lucy and Yukino were able to shut it before anymore came through."

"What?!" His eyes landed on Lucy. It seemed she really _had_ shut the gate.

"More on the story later," Lucy said, reading his thoughts. "Future-Rogue is controlling the dragons, but no one has been able to get up there to stop him."

"I'll do it!" Natsu stood up, cracking his knuckles. Standing up too fast made him a bit woozy, but it only lasted for a second.

"Wait, what?!" Lucy exclaimed, following him to her feet.

"You're still recovering, Natsu Dragneel," Atlas Flame said. "However, eating my fire will help you. I will take you to Rogue and Motherglare because I believe you can defeat him."

"Alright! Let's get going!"

"Wait! Natsu!" Lucy could feel her heart break as he walked past her toward the fire dragon. "You can't go! Not now! Not after what just happened!"

"Relax, Lucy!" Natsu turned to smile at her again. "I'll be fine!"

"But I don't want to lose you again!"

The smile on his face disappeared at her words and they only stared at each other for what felt like an eternity, but then Natsu walked up to her.

Seizing her cheeks with his hands, he yanked her toward him and kissed her. The kiss lasted for only a few seconds, but it was full of passion, love, and the promise to come back to her.

"I have to protect the future, Lucy…and in order to do that, I have to be breathing. I'm not dying again and I'll come back. I promise."

Before she could say anything, he gave her another chaste kiss before turning away to hop onto Atlas Flame who flew off.

.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.

"We need to get away from the gate, you guys! Something big is coming!"

That was the only warning Lucy and the others received before Natsu crashed Future-Rogue and Motherglare into the Eclipse Gate. He was bleeding and broken, but still able to stand as Future-Rogue lay there, speaking his last words to Natsu before vanishing.

Natsu sighed in relief as he disappeared and then turned around to see someone else:

It was Future-Lucy…and she was crying…

But she had the biggest smile on her face…

"Thank you, Natsu…Thank you so much…"

Natsu smiled back, "you know that I would do anything for you, Lucy."

"I know," She nodded, "I know that very well…"

That was all that was spoken before her glowing body evaporated.

"It was a pleasure to meet, Son of Igneel…"

Natsu turned around, "Hold on…before you go, Uncle. There's something I need to know."

Atlas Flame waited patiently as his body glowed.

"As I was unconscious, right before I woke up…I saw something…I-" Natsu gulped. It was hard for him to say this, but he needed to know what that was. That wasn't an ordinary dream. "I saw…instead of myself dying for Lucy…I saw her future-self killed instead…I need to know what that was…Do you know?"  
"Yes," Atlas Flame answered. "That was a vision; it was caused from the flames I fed you before you woke up. What you saw was what would have happened if you didn't make it in time."

Natsu found himself sighing again; he was happy that it was only what would've happened, but that doesn't change the fact that seeing Lucy's lifeless body on the ground made his blood run cold. "Thank you for telling me."

Atlas Flame glowed brighter and they both knew that it was time.

"I will never forget you, Natsu Dragneel…"

As he vanished, Natsu replied, "Couldn't have done it without you…thanks Uncle."

.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.

 _That_ was what happened that night. Natsu remembers it crystal clear. It was a week ago…and every night, he would wake up sweating with the same dream running through his head.

"That wasn't what happened," he muttered again, running his fingers through his sweaty hair. "She didn't die…so why…"

"Natsu?"

Natsu shot his head up with a small gasp as a small hand was placed on his shoulder.

"I'm sorry," Lucy retracted her hand. "I didn't mean to scare you."

"…I-it's okay."

Lucy bit her lip, taking a step toward him, "…are you okay?"

"Yeah…yeah, I'm fine." Natsu nodded his head vigorously, before pausing and shaking it. "No. Actually, no, I'm not okay…I just-"

"It's okay," Lucy set a hand on his shoulder, "just take a deep breath…calm down."

Sucking in a breath and letting it out, Natsu could feel his heartbeat slow down to its normal pace as he sighed.

"Now, can you tell me what's bothering you?"

How do you tell someone that you're having nightmares of them dying, especially to someone you love?

Natsu shook his head again, "I don't want to talk about it…just…don't leave me, okay?"

She blinked in confusion at his sudden desperate face, but then she huffed, "you're one to talk! You're the one who almost died and gave me a heart attack! I don't think you have a right to say that to me after what had happened!"

He was shocked at her sudden outburst, but before he could say anything, she sighed, running her fingers through her bangs, "I'm sorry…It's just been…really hard on me the past week…"

Natsu sighed and found himself looking down at his fingers playing with her own. When did he grab her hand? Or had she grabbed his? Or maybe they've always been like that.

"It's okay…It's been hard on me too…I've been having nightmares."

"…I've…been having random flashbacks during the day…"

Natsu looked up at her to find her looking at their hands too. He scanned her face: her chocolate eyes, pale skin, and golden hair – he loves the way it'd sway with the wind, bring her scent into his nose…

…And then the image of her lifeless body flashed through his mind again…

With a hard bite on his bottom lip, he pulled her to him, crashing his lips against hers.

Saying his sudden passion shocked her was an understatement, but she wasn't complaining. It took her a few moments to realize what was going on, but when she did, he had already pulled back.

"I'm sorry!" He exclaimed as he pulled away. Maybe she didn't really like him that way. She kissed him back that night, but maybe because it was only out of desperation not to lose a member of their family again.

"I'm sorry!" He repeated, shifting his eyes and looking at his feet. "I just…I needed that right now and-"

"No, no! It's fine!" She interrupted, "I just didn't see it coming!"

A few moments passed in silence with locked eyes and neither could look away…even if they wanted to…

"Lucy, I love you."

The sudden, random outburst caused Lucy's breath to catch, but in the next moment, she was laughing.

"I've been waiting all week for you to say that!" She laughed, "I guess I should've known it'd be sudden and random, not to mention awkward, but I can't help but love you anyway!"

Natsu's heart skipped a beat before he chuckled and pulled her in to kiss her again.

Maybe those nightmares won't stop. Maybe he'll never ever have another peaceful sleep…but it didn't matter. He saved her and he'd continue to save her…even if he has to die again…

.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.

 **FINALLY! Why'd it take me so long to write this?! Ugh! Stupid writers' block! I got about to where Natsu was hit with the dagger before this sat here for like, a month! I got it done though! It was a lot more fluffier than I would've liked it to be at the end…but it turned out okay…and long…I hope you enjoyed and I have a Halloween Special coming up and it'll be on time because it's already written!**

 **-zEllie**


End file.
